Snippet #2811632

Of course the father spoke up for his daughter. Cyrus couldn't feign surprise at that even if he wanted to. Yet he pointedly ignored him.

Instead he studied the young woman before him. Dark hair, frightened eyes, and features that, as he drew closer, almost paused him in his tracks. Why did she look so strangely familiar? Even for a demon of his stature, he couldn't help but pause for a moment, his gaze narrowing slightly. It felt almost as if he was attempting to remember a quickly fading dream. A memory that was just barely out of reach.

It was probably a moment too long since she asked her question. Too silent of a pause. Yet Cyrus regained himself just as quickly, his wings flexing and unfurling slightly as if shaking off the oddity standing before him. "Why do humans keep animals?" he replied softly. The answer would never settle fears and really... it was not his intention to set anyone at ease. He, in fact, enjoyed the tense energy surrounding him. It felt like a strung-up web where a single movement could ripple the atmosphere, alerting the predator to its prey. It smelled like the dense fog in moments before a lighting strike.

A ninth villager was handed over, a mother of two children who clung to her skirts and had to be whisked away by the guards as she was brought to the demons. That left one more offering, yet Cyrus was no longer looking around them to deem their worthiness. In truth, he didn't have to. His gaze was still fixed on this woman, Samara. There was something to that name, but what was it?

"I've changed my mind," Cyrus spoke, as if coming to a sudden decision that hadn't crossed his mind up until that very moment. As he tore his gaze away from the female, a faint motion of his hand brought the demon guard back from the ranks and he seized Samara, pulling her back and toward the other offered humans. This action seemed to elicit the most vocal reaction out of the villagers and of course why not? She was the daughter of a leader. The leader that Cyrus now turned to. "I will be picking one of you after all."

Ten humans in hand, the demon army began to retreat almost instantly back into the forest, leading the unfortunate villagers away to their fates. One of the imps overhead gave a loud jeer and a small explosion went off just behind the main gate. A fireball went up, evidently setting something else on fire thought it was hard to tell what it was exactly at that point. And with that final send-off the flying creatures also cleared the area.

"You have been most helpful," Cyrus offered one last bow to the count and the one who must have been his wife. "Let us call this... a peace offering."

With one final smile, Cyrus spread his wings, sending wind blowing as he touched off the ground. One, two, three beats of his wings, and he was turning in mid-air. Disappearing over the trees and as his army marched on foot into the dark depth of the forest.